South Asia MCPA Project
The South Asia region is home to a wealth of coral reefs, seagrasses and mangrove forests. Yet, natural and human pressures on the resources are high, and despite the current protection measures, degradation of these resources continues at an unprecedented rate.
ICRAN, the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP), and partners, are working to implement a European Union funded project with the 5 maritime nations of South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), that contributes to a reduction in the rates of marine and coastal biodiversity loss, and protects the natural resources on which the economic and social development of future generations is based.
The project began in 2006, and work is underway in collaboration with country Governments and coastal and marine stakeholders to:
- Improve the management and operation of 5 existing marine protected areas; developing the skills of staff and creating helpful management resources, while encouraging the sharing of best practices with other sites across the South Asia region.
- Improve communications and data management to and from MCPA sites, and within the wider region, to promote greater understanding and awareness of ongoing regional conservation efforts.
- Work alongside coastal communities to enhance their livelihoods and develop and assist them to take up more sustainable livelihood activities, moving away from reef degradation. For an update on the most recent activities undertaken by the Coral Reef Livelihoods Initiative (CORALI) please visit www.coraliweb.org or view the CORALI Case Studies
- Establish a task force to promote a regional response to environmental challenges, to improve regional cooperation and coordination of management and conservation efforts, and to assist participating countries to learn from each others experiences.
For further project information and an update on most recent activities please visit the SACEP website: www.sacep.org
Additional Resources
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